History

Lewis-Merthyr Band has a long and illustrious history. The band is understood to be the oldest instrumental ensemble of its kind in Rhondda Cynon Taf, a band being in existence in Cymmer in or before 1855. The band has performed for Royalty (parading through the streets for the visit of His Majesty King George V and Queen Mary to Rhondda in 1912, and HRH Edward, Prince of Wales - later King Edward VIII - in 1932). It has also, throughout its history, performed alongside numerous stars of stage and screen, including "Signor Foli" (Allan James Foley) in the late 1800's, Sir Geraint Evans, Glyn Houston, Dr. Owain Arwel Hughes CBE & Sir Bryn Terfel. The band will also forever be proudly linked with the collieries, mineworkers and communities who founded us.

While detailed information regarding the current band can be found in the About and News sections of the website, extensive research into the early history of the formerly Cymmer Colliery / Cymmer Military - now Lewis-Merthyr - Band is currently being undertaken and will be explored in depth, together with our partners, through 2018.

If you have any information, documents or artefacts pertaining to the Lewis-Merthyr, Cymmer Colliery, Cymmer Military Band or Porth Fife & Drum Band, please contact us here

Research ​Sources

Early Newspaper ArticlesNewspaper articles relating to Lewis-Merthyr Band and its various antecedents from 1855 onwards

The Martyn Family has a long association with Lewis-Merthyr antecedent the Cymmer Colliery Military Band. Richard & George Martyn conducted the band for a period of 44 years from 1882 to 1926 with other family members also playing in the band.

The band is currently searching for manuscripts and works composed or arranged by the family, whose output was known to be prolific.

A number of works related to the family are included below

​The Devil's OwnA march composed by Mr J. V. Martyn, referenced on Pg 18 of The Breconian, April 1916

March: Pendine - R. MartynThe popular brass band march Pendine, composed R. Martyn and performed here by the GUS Footwear Band. Could the R. Martyn in question be Richard...?

Selection from Ballet RusseComposed by A. Luigini, this is another work arranged by R. Martyn, a selection from Ballet Russe, performed here by the now defunct CWS Manchester Band. The work is a short suite in three movements: I) Czardas II) Valse Lente III) March Russe. A copy of the Solo Cornet part is included below.

R. Martyn, Arranger​So who was the arranger R. Martyn? The R. here stood in fact not for Richard but for Ray. "Ray Martyn" has over 780 compositions and arrangements credited to him.

The March: Pendine is published by Josef Weinberger, who also publish Ballet Russe, though the latter is also published by Fred Benson Ltd and while the Benson edition is credited to Ray Martyn, the Weinberger is credited "Luigini, arr Mortimer".

Additional information on historical broadcasts by the Lewis-Merthyr and Cymmer Colliery Military Band can be found in the Broadcasts section of the website herewhile information on the band's commissioning history, close association with a number of eminent composers for band and premiere performances of the works can be found in the Commissionssection of the website here

Audio and Video footage of the band, plus a series of images of Lewis-Merthyr Band, both current and archive can also be found in their respective sections of the Gallerysection of the website here

If you have any information or items of interest pertaining to the history of Lewis-Merthyr Band, its antecedents or the Lewis-Merthyr and Cymmer Collieries, please contact us here

ContributorsThe band would like to express their thanks to the following individuals for their assistance and hard work in researching and contributing to the history of the Lewis-Merthyr Band - Diolch yn fawr i chi gyd